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Clock Mythological Orpheus
| Materials: | Bronze mercury gilding |
|---|---|
| Era: | Restauration 1815-1830 |
| Period: | XIXe siècle |
| Provenance: | French |
- Restored to original condition with original appearance.
- Full overhaul of watch movement, perfect working order.
- Perfect authenticity, without modification.
- Original gilding.
- Winding key & pendulum
- Operating instructions, how to start your clock.
- Certificate of authenticity, invoice.
- Ringtone on ancient bell, hour and a half-hour
Height: 53 cm
Width: 35 cm
Depth: 14 cm
Description
This remarkable mythological mantel clock depicting Orpheus constitutes an exceptional testimony to French decorative art of the Restoration period, circa 1820. Entirely crafted in finely chased bronze and mercury-gilt with gold, it is distinguished by the richness of its ornamental programme, the quality of its sculpture and the masterful balance of its composition. The gilding, still particularly luminous and homogeneous, admirably enhances the numerous details of the chasing. The ensemble displays perfect authenticity, both in its composition and in the presence of its decorative elements, and is preserved in a remarkable state of conservation, retaining all its decorative power and exceptional integrity.
The upper section, a veritable apotheosis of the composition, is dominated by the figure of Orpheus, the celebrated musician of Greek mythology, represented as an idealised young man with a face imbued with gentleness and serenity. Draped in the antique manner in a garment with soft, carefully modelled folds, he stands in an elegant and natural pose, his body slightly inclined towards his instrument. His arm extends delicately to set the strings of the great lyre vibrating, the essential attribute of Orpheus and symbol of his legendary musical power. The lyre, executed with particular refinement, features two arched uprights richly chased with scrolling foliage, leaves and vegetal motifs, surmounted by an openwork finial. Beside him are several attributes associated with music, including a second stringed instrument suspended alongside the soundbox, while a richly ornamented wind instrument completes the scene. The entire group rests upon the summit of the clock case in a skilfully balanced composition. The presence of Orpheus, surrounded by his instruments, lends this clock a particularly poetic dimension, evoking the power of music which, according to the myth, was capable of enchanting men, animals and even the forces of nature. The circular white enamel dial, with black Roman numerals and finely graduated minute track, is framed by broad mouldings adorned with radiating motifs, while the blued-steel hands provide an elegant contrast to the golden brilliance of the bronze.
The lower section, monumental and architectural in form, features a rectangular stepped case resting upon a broad moulded base and four flattened spherical feet, finely fluted and decorated with vegetal friezes. The body of the clock is entirely animated by an exceptional decoration in gilt bronze. Delicate garlands of roses unfold around the dial, while the lower section presents a symmetrical composition of musical instruments, foliage, flowers and tied ribbons. At the centre stands a lyre accompanied by a swan with outstretched wings, leafy branches and flowering bouquets, directly recalling the musical and poetic world of Orpheus. On either side, large motifs of stringed instruments are intertwined with scrolls, foliage and flowers, while two circular medallions surrounded by rose wreaths contain compositions of ribbons and foliage. The various mouldings are enriched with friezes of water leaves, palmettes, pearls, scrolling foliage, floral garlands and vegetal motifs, whose precise chasing admirably emphasises the volumes. The variety of textures — matt, glossy, finely granulated and delicately polished surfaces — allows the mercury gilding to interact subtly with the light.
Through its monumental presence, particularly appealing iconography and exceptional richness of decoration, this Orpheus clock stands as a work of outstanding quality within the art of gilt bronze during the Restoration period. The perfect coherence of its composition, the elegance of the mythological figure, the profusion of its musical and floral attributes, together with the remarkable quality of the chasing, make it a particularly sought-after work of art. Its subject, directly inspired by Antiquity and treated with all the Neoclassical sensibility characteristic of creations dating from around 1820, lends it a timeless beauty and considerable decorative appeal. The remarkable preservation of its gilt bronzes and the integrity of its ornamental programme further enhance its significance. Rare for its scale, subject matter and richness of execution, this clock is therefore an exceptional work, destined to take its place equally well in a collection of antique gilt bronzes or in an interior seeking a spectacular, refined and deeply representative expression of French Restoration taste.
Original movement intact and unaltered, with silk-thread suspension. Striking on the hours and half-hours on an antique bell, producing a clear and authentic tone.
Questions
Easily pay for your purchases using our highly protected bank card system with SSL certificate and 256 bit encryption, ensuring confidentiality when any information is transferred. On a web browser, the OVH SSL certificate activates the HTTPS protocol and displays a padlock in the navigation bar. This shows that any transaction is encrypted and confidential, and that your website address has been authenticated.
Our items mainly stem from the inheritance of objects, preciously looked after over numerous generations. There is a stringent selection process for each object ensuring perfect authenticity and the optimal amount of gilding
We do not use the term “Restoration”, which implies a significant transformation or major repair that modifies an object’s authenticity or original appearance. Each object is completely dismantled, then thoroughly cleaned part by part; our cleaning technique restores shine without adversely affecting the gold. We then put the clock back together, returning all the various parts to their origin location, as well as all the nuts and screws. Subsequently, the item is inspected to ensure it is perfectly even, symmetrical, and smooth, etc.
The clock’s movement undergoes a complete overhaul; it is totally dismantled, cleaned and each individual part is polished. The duration of this procedure affects the shine: we prefer to obtain a brilliant shine, in keeping with the gilding of the object. To increase the strength and quality of the gears, we apply a very important procedure, known as bouchonnage, to correct for wear accumulated over years of operation, consisting in the placing cork of stoppers in any pivot holes that have become deformed by wear. After the clock has been completely reassembled, it is tested over a long period of time to ensure that the movement, as well as the hour and half-hour strikes, are operating correctly.
- Akzeptierte Kreditkarten: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover und Diners Club.
- Bank transfer: You can also send us a copy of the bank transfer order to speed up the processing of your order.
Upon dispatch of your order, you will be sent a parcel tracking number by email.
Delivery anywhere in the world.
France: - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 2 days for delivery - Total: 5 business days - Decorative objects: 1 days preparation work + 2 days for delivery - Total: 3 business days
Europe - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 3 days for delivery - Total: 6 business days - Decorative objects: 1 day preparation work + 3 days for delivery - Total: 6 business days
Other countries - Clocks: 3 days preparation work + 3-8 days for delivery - Decorative objects: 1 days preparation work + 3-8 days for delivery
Easily pay for your purchases using our highly protected bank card system with SSL certificate and 256 bit encryption, ensuring confidentiality when any information is transferred. On a web browser, the OVH SSL certificate activates the HTTPS protocol and displays a padlock in the navigation bar. This shows that any transaction is encrypted and confidential, and that your website address has been authenticated.
You will receive—by email and a paper version—an explanatory document containing all the necessary instructions and recommendations for operating your clock. We also provide assistance over the phone to guide you through the start-up procedure. Of course, we will continue to be available—by both telephone and email—to answer any questions you may have. For calls in German or English, please make an appointment first via email, providing us with your telephone number, and the date and time you wish to contact us. Contact.
- Click on the button “add to basket” to add an object. - Once you have finished your order, click on “view contents of basket” located at the bottom of the screen or on small the “shopping trolley” icon at the top right. - click “Complete my order” or “order” - Fill in the invoicing address details, you also have the possibility to send the parcel to a different address. - Select the payment method - To confirm your order, click “order now”
By email, you will be sent: - confirmation of your order & payment - Parcel tracking information
Every purchase comes with a certificate of authenticity and an invoice
High quality certificate of authenticity printed on photo paper with text and photos providing all the information concerning your object. Detailed invoice indicating the price paid for the object.
